March 30, 2009

Reporters Notebooks

Rachel Bachman, Oregonian: Oregon's athletic department would have been $800,000 in the hole if it didn't receive $1.2 million from the state lottery in the 2007-08 fiscal year. The state schools were given 1% of total lottery proceeds in 2005, with the money going toward college athletic departments (88%) and need- and merit-based scholarships (12%).

Paul Gattis, Huntsville Times: How is Houston Nutt trimming that recruiting class of 37 players? "It's going real smooth right now because you've got about seven guys right now that we know for sure aren't going to make it academically. However, they love Ole Miss and so what we're doing, to help out Mississippi junior colleges, is we are going to place them in the schools."

Eleven Warriors: If you're in Columbus on Thursday night, Kirk Herbstreit will be serving adult beverages for a good cause.

David Goricki, Detroit News: Freshman quarterback Tate Forcier saw time with the first unit during Michigan's first full scrimmage.

Rob Moseley, Eugene Register-Guard: Tonio Celotto, one of Oregon’s top candidates to start at defensive tackle in the fall, has decided to give up playing football and won’t return to the university for the start of spring quarter.

Bill Haisten, Tulsa World: Nearly four months after Oklahoma State and Mike Gundy agreed on a seven-year deal worth $15.7 million, Gundy still has not signed the contract. "I just haven't gotten around to getting it signed, but I will soon," Gundy promised.

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Press-Register: Let's be honest. Gene Chizik is pretty dull. The biggest buzz — how about the only buzz — he has created was the overwhelmingly negative reaction to his hiring. People were ready to jump off tall buildings. Veteran reporters said it was the most unpopular hire on the Plains in 40 years.

Michael DiRocco, Florida Times-Union: Not even putting together defenses that helped Florida win the 2006 and 2008 national titles has been enough to land defensive coordinator Charlie Strong a head coach job, something that angers Urban Meyer.

Jeremy Fowler, Orlando Sentinel: Tim Tebow spent spring break doing missionary work on a Philippines orphanage. Christianity isn't popular in the area and Tebow's father, Bob, said he was once held at gunpoint by the New People's Army, a Communist rebellion group. Tim has been exposed to some of the dangers, Bob said, but his son downplays the adventures. "There are a lot of places in Florida that are dangerous too," Tebow said.

Adam MacDonald, Valdosta Daily Times: Georgia's Mark Richt spent Saturday with his son, Jon, watching Valdosta State hold its final scrimmage of spring. Jon, a quarterback who spent last year at Clemson, is looking at schools to transfer to.